Tag: Frederick County Board of Education

Y’all. We are a bit overwhelmed with the number of meetings and the OMGeeee number of candidates in this 2018 local election, so things are going to get quick and dirty here. We will do our best to keep on top of as much as humanly possible while still attending to our regular responsibilities such as work and parenting and whatnot. We do step out of our basements into the Vitamin D and seasonal allergens from time to time, actually. If you’re in need of a refresher on the tradition of anonymous writing in America, we have a whole think piece on that. It seems like some BOE candidates aren’t any better versed in history than they are in language arts…isn’t everyone shocked?

The agenda for Tuesday’s County Council meeting is here, and Billy Shreve may even attend, so just grab whatever you have handy and have at it. That said, guard you precious liver, because there is also a joint meeting of the Council and the Board of Education on Wednesday. Same “rules” apply. What have we done to deserve this?

As you may have heard, Cindy Rose is (unsurprisingly) running for Board of Education. Cindy Rose thinks up crazy things, sometimes with the help of Rush Limbaugh. Election 2018 is cranked, and ugh, please make it stop. Presumably this guy in his MAGA cap (yeah we Snopsed it for ya!) is the reason we are seeing this effort to somehow make it the fault of progressives that this human waste became a monster. According to Lady Rose this murderer who shot up his school is the real victim here. Oh, the poor Rosemary’s Baby. #PartyOfPersonalResponsibility much?

Do you see that snowflake b.s. up there? This woman is like Donald Trump. She does not have the appropriate temperament to hold the office she seeks, and yet she will try it anyway. Be vigilant, folks. You know what could happen. Heed the cautionary tale.

We’ve taken up the cause of warning her to keep her crazy tucked in previously, but it is an uphill battle, as evidenced by her blaming it upon the evils of progressivism that kept his access to that weapon legal, and ensured that laws to take guns from people who everyone in the community is already terrified of do not exist. Is that what we are to understand? Color us skeptical, maybe. She bangs out this hate fueled and twisted excuse for this psycho, extends all the empathy to him as the real victim in the situation, and then has the audacity to ask how the kids of conservative parents got so liberal. Go figure, lady.

Also, apologies for our elitism, but Mrs. Rose’s post would fail as an elementary school writing assignment, so is she really the right person to take up the mantle of improving education? There’s no citation for or even explanation of her dubious claims, and as a person who is constantly e-mail blasting the school system she should know that the written constructed response is a typical third grade curriculum item, covering along with it the “cite and explain” portion of the rubric. Is she agreeing with us that we have been bombarded with apocalyptic climate change and systemic racism? She hurls hatred at the liberals and, to read her words, would appear simultaneously gravely concerned about liberal issues. (The irony that she was all over the inter webs favoring English-Only legislation when she is not exactly demonstrating mastery of the native tongue is aggravating, in retrospect.) Sigh. Please don’t elect this woman. We have a whole catalogof reasons why, even when we have sometimes agreed with her.

This is from a July 12, 2015 “discussion” of the English Only Ordinance on the Frederick County Council Watch Facebook Page. One of the premium services this online community provides is self-cataloguing their bad ideas, illogical thinking, and personal insults in a forum where you can just bang some search terms in and find evidence to cite.

In conclusion, let’s ponder what Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the namesake of the high school where some very inspiring young activists have given us the first reason in quite awhile to be optimistic about the direction this country is headed, and who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work to protect the environment (and because of that was in the White House the same day to witness the signing of The Brady Bill), would think of Cindy Rose’s nonsense up there. She said:

Be a nuisance where it counts. Do your part to inform and stimulate the public to join your action. Be depressed, discouraged, and disappointed at failure and the disheartening effects of ignorance, greed, corruption and bad politics—but never give up.

There is so much to point out to you today. It seems the lazy days of summer don’t apply in these here parts.

First let’s give kudos to the Frederick County Board of Education for passing policy 443 last night! It is so wonderful that our little yokels are in a school system that values each child. Which is more than we can say for some members of our community:

And we don’t know whether to laugh or cry at her other post regarding this issue:

It feels as though we should do something nice for the FCPS legal department that has to sort through her requests.

On the other side of town from the BOE meeting, Sheriff Jenkins was holding court at Winchester Hall. He was having himself a little shindig about 287 (g). Kirby was a little confused as to what side he was supposed to be on:

And speaking of public commenters, our new fave, Matt Seubert, wrote a very informative piece about the Monocacy River Board in today’s edition of The Frederick Extra. If you missed our piece, that goes along nicely with what he had to say, on what is going on in Carroll County click on over.

Failed BOE candidate Cindy Rose has scribed an irrational fury bomb about FCPS and tossed it on the world via The Sucky Octopus Feeler. We cannot ever recommend clicking that. And we thought she would crawl under a sea rock and go away (just kidding, unfortunately–we did not think that).

She is seething angry because FCPS needs to adopt a transgender policy for the school potties now that Pres-o-Dent Bull-in-China-Shop has reversed the mandate that icked some people out, and she seems to be insinuating that business interests and the like are probably behind this because it is always some business interest or social activist (irony alert: what does she think she is in this scenario? a diplomat?). Plus, this is silly. Lobbyists do not go directly to her archnemesis Dr. Alban when they want all their wildest dreams to come true. Sure, Pearson makes the megamoolah on tests and curriculum. They do that by getting widespread legislative changes enacted by elected officials, not going small taters to the superintendent. Having a policy for inclusivity is probably not where the big bucks are. Unless…is it the Joe the Plumber lobby????? Heinh????

In her twisted world, the fact that FCPS seeks to avoid discriminating against transgender students is somehow discriminating against her. This lady is so filled with loathing that she will find any excuse to pick a fight with the school system. All others who may have special needs and concerns be damned.

Sometimes we do agree with Cindy Rose, like when school testing seems stupid, wasteful, and inappropriate to student needs. And also now. We can just hold a mirror up!

Ms. Rose also is angry (is there another way for her to be?) because the school system will not let her sit in on their school culture training. Look, this is obviously perfectly understandable, if sensitive to explain. We all know a portion of the school culture seminar is, “What you do with whackalooney parents who will not stop sending you 70 bajillion PIA requests per day.” Letting her sit in there–even all quiet and not spitting and hopping around–like a fly on the wall would just be all kinds of awkward.

Ms. Rose says that Dr. Alban likened her PIA addiction to a person who calls 911 abusively, and if you will follow the links in that PIA request link you will see that it is a crying shame that Dr. Alban failed to note that on some occasions it is like that woman who called 911 from the drive-thru at McDonald’s because she was tired of waiting for her McNuggets.

Last night the county council had a very nice public hearing on the county’s contribution to the FCPS budget. Budget guru, Rick Harcum, did a great introduction in which he had some very reasonable and optimistic things to say about the school budget. He let us know that:

Good schools increase property values.

Education is the #1 priority of county residents as evidenced by online surveys and public hearings.

We are funding schools $25 million above the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) requirement.

Because of the improved economy, school construction is coming in cheaper than expected. Thereby opening the door to more building and renovation.

Mr. Harcum ends his statement by saying the future looks good. And we all got here by working together! We are almost giddy at this point!!!

The hearing commences with Board of Education President Brad Young, Superintendent Alban and Frederick County Teacher Union President Melissa Dirks. Ms. Alban states what we all know to be true, that the most important factor in any classroom is the teacher. A fact that is then reiterated by the many wonderful members of the public. Teacher salaries factor predominantly in the comments as well as the importance of support staff. We are oh so thankful to ALL the school employees who make sure that our children are not only educated, but also well taken care of while they are at school.

The meeting concludes, as always, with council member comment and man we always tense up during this part. However, we got off with only one hitch! Tony and Kirby pass! Jerry thanks everyone for coming out and then we are off to Debbie Downer! Billy is disappointed. Disappointed that WiFi isn’t in the budget, even though every school already has it. But not only WiFi, no money seems to be devoted to technology. According to Billy, and these are his words folks, “If a kid can’t use a device every minute of their life they won’t do good in the workforce.”

Jessica and M.C. also give thanks to those who came out. Bud informs us that he was really surprised when he found out that we were losing teachers to Washington County. And you know why folks? Because they pay better! We need to make our salaries more competitive if we are to get that most important factor in educating our children: TEACHERS!

This week is chock full of budget meetings. On both Wednesday and Thursday of this week the council will be meeting with various departments to hear their needs. Next Tuesday, there will be a discussion of which amendments the council would like to add, with a final vote scheduled for May 16th. Hopefully “somebody” won’t waste everyone’s time with an alternative budget this year.

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This evening marks the beginning of budget time in our fair county. At 7:00 the council will hold a hearing on the Board of Education’s operating budget. Do we see dead horse memes in our future? No doubt. Let’s just hope we can have a productive evening without having to yell this at our favorite undynamic duo: